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My winter challenge was learning to work on a Mac computer which includes iMovie. Here are my first results in video form:

Most still and video clips were captured with a Panasonic Lumix 150. Very good travel camera. Lightweight, great zoom lens and can capture raw files. A few of the still photos were captured with a basic phone camera.

View from our small third floor room with 5 bunk beds for a total of 10 persons in our room. Cozy…

We call Roots & Boots our home for two nights. It is in the old part of town, three levels of multiple rooms down narrow hallways with as many bunk beds as they can possibly put in each room. We had two bathrooms for our floor, so we had to be patient or find an open bathroom on another floor…maybe.

We shared a room with sheep farmer from Portugal, college students waiting for housing and a grandfather/grandson pair (Sweden? ), as well as another silent partner that did not converse with us.Randy is wearing his strolling attire today, so let’s start exploring. Interesting, but I don’t think I’ll put these sculptures on my deck.

She must be my relative since Pemble women are known to wear bright red attire.

Obviously, she draws the attention of old and young alike.

Sign reads: Painter looking for work urgently – I’m hungry.

You’re going strolling whether you want to, or not!

Beggar outside the coffee shop.

Neighborhood near our hostel.

We crossed through Alameda Park several times as it was between our hostel and the city center. The origin of the park goes back to the donation of the grounds to the city by the Counts of Altamira around the middle of the 16th century.

Harry Potter influence here?

We see many monuments amidst the garden area of the park. Mirador da Alameda. Translation: Viewpoint of Alameda

We are thrilled to meet up with Al, our Spanish friend that we met at the pilgrim meal in Fonfria just past O’Cebreiro. I sincerely hope he is doing well with his new job in South America.

These Italian pilgrims are all smiles and glad to be done with their journey. We shared the trail frequently with them the past few days. A smile is comprehended in any language.

We attend the Pilgrim Mass and they did not swing “the thing.”( Botafumeiro) We are 0 for 2 on this, so if I ever return to the Camino experience again I will not be leaving until they do swing “the thing.”

Outside the church, I notice this beggar who is prepared for rain with an umbrella tucked behind her. I’m guessing she is a Gypsy, which is a slang term for the Romani people that frequent European countries. More to come on this topic in future blog posts.

Translation: Parents and students in defense of the nusa (neighborhood?) school. We see this as we leave the town of O Pedrouzo. Destination ~ Santiago de Compostela!

The path leads us through wooded areas…

…and small farms

Small hay bundles

The path is now closer to the road.

One last photo opp before we enter the city. Thank you, Random Pilgrim, for taking our picture! Liz and Bryon hiked at our pace so that we could arrive together.

Fence next to the Santiago Airport is full of crosses made from branches. Lavacolla is recognized today more for the name of the international airport than the place where medieval pilgrims came to wash lavar and purify themselves before entering the city.

We still see livestock and small farms.

Wizard of Oz?

Monte do Gozo (Mount Joy) The monument commemorates the visit of Pope John Paul II.

There it is… Santiago! We can see it!

We pass by the ruins of an old church. Spooky…

City limits?

Here we go!

Ta-Dah!! What? Under construction? Seriously? Oh, well…

Might as well drink in the celebration…

Buen Camino! After 165 miles of hiking, we look forward to new adventures and challenges after a good nights sleep. A bunk bed at Roots & Boots is calling my name… hmmm, wonder who our roommates will be tonight?

I look down from the albergue window as a lone, wet pilgrim shuffles down the dark street below. A-a-a-rgh!!I am also dismayed by the bathroom situation this morning. Rule of albergue ettiquette: When sharing a bathroom with twenty-some people, do not spread out a whole trunk load of make-up and proceed to tie up the bathroom and sink for 40 minutes. Nobody cares what you look like on a wet, miserable day like today! End of rant…

Generally speaking, the stage goes along dirt tracks, with some stretches through secondary roads and also through paths parallel to the road. Yes, this must be Galicia because it is raining.

Not sure I’d want to push a stroller, with a little one, across northern Spain in the rain. …yet, he smiles.

Definitely a rain coat kind of day.

Meanwhile, we seek refuge from the elements in a cafe with hot coffee. Not many photos taken today due to the wet conditions. The rain did let up long enough for a short video:

These speedy hikers arrive early and find a window seat to enjoy the view of wet hikers strolling past them. It looks like Bryon’s new insoles are helping the blister situation.

Hooray! After about 18 kilometers, we arrive at our destination, O Pedrouzo, and check into Pension A Solaina.

Today is going to be the longest day of the trip as we cover about 30 miles or close to 50 kilometers.Portomarine is a couple of kilometers to the left of the map above.

Randy, Bryon and Liz start walking and their destination is Melide which requires walking the full distance of the top map and half-way into the next stage. Will the feet survive?

Adios, Italia!!!

Foggy day in the woods.

Occasionally a cement picnic table will appear to facilitate a quick break.

The path is worn down from centuries of pilgrims walking to Santiago.

Why can’t we stay here? In March of 2013 we did stay here and woke up to fresh snowfall.

Have Joan and Joyce been kidnapped? Where could they be? Um-m-m-m… shopping?

But first we go to the Church of San Juan since it is Sunday. This church was reconstructed brick by brick when the dam flooded the town to build a hydroelectric power plant and they were forced to relocate the city of Portomarine.

We say a little prayer for the other three trudging down the 30 mile path today.Now we hop into a cozy taxi for a joyride to Melide where we check our group into the albergue. Every Sunday in Melide you will find a fruit, meat and cheese market where farmers bring their produce in to sell. Randy took my camera so I’m stuck with a low-end cell phone camera and Joan’s Ipod to document the day.

Pigs feet? Not sure how I’d cook them so I’ll pass this time.

This little piggy went to market…

Norwegian cod caught in Spanish waters. Is this like lutefisk?

The air is filled with noisy chatter.

Joan negotiates our transaction and we will be supplied with delicious cheese straight from the farmer for the next several days. Delish!

Joan and I have the great plan to walk back on the trail to meet the rest of the gang to show support. We walk and walk, but don’t see pilgrims. This can’t be right? We go back, find the right road out-of-town, and wait for them…and wait…and wait… and wait some more.

Finally, after almost every pilgrim has gone by, we finally make radio contact and walk to meet them. The last 10 miles have been brutal and Randy, Bryon and Liz finally limp into town, too tired to take pictures.

We finally arrive at our destination today, Portomarin. In the 1960s the Mino River was dammed to create the Belesar Reservoir, putting the old village of Portomarín under water.

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In March of 2013 we crossed this bridge while strong, cold wind gusts pushed us around making it hard to balance. Today we have no wind and pleasant temps.

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We soon will tackle the 52 steps that will get us into the arch of the ancient Roman bridge, the entrance of the city. These steps are challenging after a tiring day of walking with a backpack on. We do muster up enough energy to smile for the photo.

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Indiana Joan is especially elated to reach the top.

The most historic buildings of the town were moved brick by brick and reconstructed in the new town, including its castle-style main church: Church of San Juan of Portomarín. This is an unusual late Romanesque temple as it is designed to be both a church and a castle and so has architectural characteristics of both buildings. The church was relocated to its current position from the valley in the 1960s when the river was flooded to form a reservoir. ~Wikipedia